Tuesday, September 2, 1986/The Battaiion/Page 3
State and Local
esSenate OKs pari-mutuel betting
Approval from White would set up statewide referendum
r
AUSTIN (AF) — A bare Senate
■ority overrode last-minute oppo-
litibn Monday to approve a bill that
nld set up a statewide referen-
ium on pari-mutuel betting on
torse and dog racing.
■Hot dog, thank you,” said Sen.
»."lke'' Harris, R-Dallas, who has
Bn pushing pari-mutuel betting
Be 1973.
Tlarris' bill, which carried 21
House amendments, would provide
lor a November 1987 statewide ref
erendum.
11 that is approved, 251 of Texas’
251 counties could hold local-option
elections on whether to allow horse
betting.
The other three counties — Gal
veston, Nueces and Cameron —
could vote on betting on dog racing.
The Senate vote, bv voice, sent the
proposal to Gov. Mark White, who
has not indicated whether he will
sign the measure.
Harris said, “I don’t know what
his attitude is. I’m told, now, by
f riends, that he is not against it. ”
Lt. Gov. Bill Hobby said, however,
“I would not be surprised if he
(White) would veto the horse racing
bill if there is no other result from
this session.”
’I
irry
fiorsebreeders would win
If pari-mutuel betting passes
BRENHAM (AF
tin i\
oncern in Washington
0 Hailey’s farm is 70 miles awav
County, one of three regiot
is in
frum the closest possible site of a
Texas where breeders have t
iken
Bee track, but he and dozens of
advantage of good weather
and
■her farmers in this scenic Ger-
favorable terrain to locau
; in
Ban community may be among
numbers.
Be big winners if parimutuel livi
ng is approved.
Brenham, along with N
orth
m specu
ivv-lader
hed then
ionals do
■ a cup ol
ir and (fit
my
round
ease
land.
B O’Malley raises horses.
■ “The part that the state will gel
fi m racing is negligible," said
OMalley, a consulting engineet
|who has six mares and a variety of
arounger animals. "The important
Brt is the money spent on stud
les, construction, salaries, and
Bconie for agri-businessmen.”
I Horse breeding is already a
?d
Hill Country, will
12 million in
arms and re-
if parimutuel wa-
ering is established, said Andy
>r the
Texas Department of Agricul
ture.
Citing a report on horse rac
ing. Welch said the off-track ef
fects of racing would be stagger
ing.
More than 9,000 jobs would be
created in industries as varied as
ranching, transportation, build
ing horse trailers and horse shoe
ing. he said.
The three prime breeding re
gions already have a natural ad
vantage from approval of a pari
mutuel bill because the industry
and support facilities are already
in place, Washington County ex
tension agent Bill Thane said.
“As tight as dollars are nowa
days, it's unlikely someone would
start up from scratch just to be
near a track." Thane said.
Lottery vote ‘may be delayed’
I AUSTIN (AF) — A proposed
Constitutional amendment that
Irould allow Texans to decide
ihether they wanted the state to
operate a lottery game apparently
lon’t get through the current
ipecial session, its House sponsor
laid Monday.
I "We ran out of time,” said Rep.
Ron Wilson, D-Houston.
I The bill received final approval
|iiday from the Senate on a 21-8
foie.
| But Wilson said House rules
would keep it from reaching the
House floor before the special
legislative session ends Thursday
night.
Wilson said he planned to
quickly file the bill again if Gov.
Mark White calls another special
session.
Top legislators Lt. Gov. Bill
Hobbv and Speaker Gib Lewis
said Monday that they expect
While to call a second session.
As passed bv the Senate, the
bill would have let voters in No
vember decide whether the Texas
Constitution should be amended
to pemrit the state to operate a
lottery game.
Backers said a lottery would
generate an estimated $680 mil
lion for state government by
1991.
Opponents argued that the
state of Texas would be sanction
ing gambling if it started such a
game.
Twenty-two other states cur
rently operate lotteries.
Hobby himself has kept the bill a-
live in the Senate by twice overruling
points of error that pari-mutuel wa
gering was not included on White’s
agenda for the special legislative ses
sion.
White called the 30-day session
Aug. 6 to deal with a projected state
budget deficit of $3.5 billion.
He joined Hobby in supporting a
tax increase, a move the House has
so far rejected.
Asked if the Legislature would
have approved horse racing if the
state budget was not in trouble, Har
ris said, "Oh no. I think it was a big
factor. I sure do.”
After two brief periods of pari
mutuel betting, it was ended by the
Legislature in 1937, and strong op
position f rom churches have blocked
its re-enactment.
Already this year, religious lead
ers have vowed to mobilize their
forces again against track betting.
On Monday, Sen. Craig Washing
ton. D-Houston, tried to send the bill
to a conference committee to make
sine it contains “no tricks,” but his
motion failed 1 1-15.
Senate debate focused on what ef
fect possible lawsuits could have,
specificailv if the courts should de
cide the Legislature could not rely
on a referendum in approving legis
lation.
Harris said if voters reject pari
mutuel betting in November 1987,
“then you’re not going to have pari
mutuel."
However, he said, if they vote for
it and the referendum is later held to
be unconstitutional, local-option
elections can proceed.
Washington asked, “What if the
referendum is stricken before No
vember 1987 ... is the act nullified?”
“That’s the way I read it,” Harris
replied.
Harris also said if a city, such as
Austin, opposed betting but the is
sue carried countywide at the local-
option election, "a track could not go
in at Austin” but could be placed in
Travis County.
The bill sent to the governor
would establish a racing commission,
which would charge application fees
ranging from $2,500 to $15,000 for
three types of racetracks.
Class 1 tracks would be restricted
to the larger counties.
■nts
What’s up
Tuesday
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT: will
hold a hot dog picnic at 6 p.m. at Olsen Park. All agricultu
ral education majors are invited. For more information call
Gail, 268-0772.
SADDLE AND SIRLOIN CLUB: will hold its first meeting of
the year at 7 p.m. in 1 15 Kleberg. All interested students
are invited. For more information call 845-4433.
COMMODORE 128 SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP: anyone
needing information or tutoring for Commodore personal
computers is invited to join. For more information call Da
vid, 845-8889.
STUDENT GOVERNMENT: applications for election com
missioner, internal communications chairman and fresh
man programs now are being accepted in 221 Pavilion. For
more information call 845-3051.
Wednesday
GREAT COMMISSION STUDENTS: (formerly A&M Chris
tian Fellowship) will hold a fall kick-off rally with fun and
refreshments at 7:30 p.m. in 102 Blocker.
GRADUATE STUDENT COUNCIL: will sponsor a
workshop for graduate students who are interested in
starting or improving a graduate student organization in
their department on Sept. 13 from 9 a.m. to noon. The
workshop is free and refreshments will be served. For
more information call 845-2 15 1 or 845-1151.
SAILING CLUB: will meet at 7 p.m. in 302 Rudder. A novice
test will be given for new members. For more information
call Fim, 696-8642.
Items for What's Up should be submitted to The Battalion,
216 Reed McDonald, no less than three days prior to de
sired publication date.
In Advance
Rep. Joe Barton to debate
challenger Geren at A&M
Incumbent 6th District Rep.
Joe Barton and Democratic chal
lenger Pete Geren will debate
Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. in 301
Rudder Tower.
The event, sponsored by the
Memorial Student Center’s Politi
cal Forum committee, will be the
first face-to-face debate between
the two congressional candidates.
Derek Blakeley, program di
rector for the debate, said the
candidates will be allowed three
minutes each to make opening
and closing statements. They also
will have three minutes to answer
each question posed to them by a
four-member panel of Texas
A&M student leaders.
Panelists include Mike Sims,
student body president; Ross
Nethery, state programs director
for Political Forum; Chris Efird,
president of A&M’s Young Dem
ocrats; and Mike Hachtman,
president of Aggie GOP.
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